1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vanity case for use in make-up and, more particularly, to an improvement in an unlatch mechanism of a vanity case in which a cover member is hinged with a receptacle member and is maintained in a closed position by engagement between a pair of latch members.
2. Description of Prior Art
A typical vanity case has the latch members formed at the front ends of receptacle and cover members of which engagement is manually released by pushing up the front end of cover member with a user's finger while holding the receptacle member by the other hand. Thus, the latch members must have a dimentional accuracy in order to ensure the release of engagement with a relatively small force and to prevent an accidental opening of the cover member. This severe requirement in the latch members has, however, resulted in a poor production efficiency.
A vanity case having an unlatch mechanism is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,168. The unlatch mechanism therein comprises a slider element which is slidably received in the front end of the cover member and includes a slant surface positioned closely adjacent to the receptacle member. When the outer end of the slider element is pushed inwardly, the slant surface forces the receptacle member away from the cover member to release the engagement between the latch members. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,826 discloses a vanity case in which an unlatch member is formed to a L-shape and pivotably secured in a recess formed in the receptacle or cover, in such a manner that one end of the unlatch member forces the cover away from the receptacle to release the engagement when the unlatch member pivots about the corner thereof by pressing the other end thereof inwardly. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,586 discloses an unlatch mechanism of a vanity case comprising a pair of sliding pieces having enlarged inner ends to catch therebetween the latch member of the cover. The sliding pieces are received in the receptacle to move in the transverse direction and are combined together in the opposite directions so that they are urged by a spring to normally project the outer end from the side walls of the receptacle. When these outer ends are pushed inwardly, the enlarged inner ends moves away from each other to release the latch member.
In all of the above-discussed vanity cases, the cover member is opened when the unlatch member is pushed or pressed inwardly. The inwardly directed pressure may, however, be accidentally exerted onto the vanity case particularly when it is carried about in a handbag and the like, resulting in an unnecessary and undesirable opening of the cover member. Further, it has been found not so convenient to push the end portion of the unlatch member inwardly because the unlatch member actually is quite small for the user's finger. Additionally, the end portion of the unlatch member need be exposed outside of the vanity case, which narrows variety in external designs of the vanity case.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vanity case in which engagement between latch members can be released by a simple operation and with a small force while preventing any accidental opening of a cover member.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vanity case having an unlatch mechanism which may be easily operated by a user's finger.
A still another object of the invention is to provide a vanity case which may increase variety in an external appearance.